UNPRINTABLE

By Celia Cohen
Grapevine Political Writer

Joe Farley Sr., the businessman, lobbyist, political
wise guy and once-upon-a-time chair of the Delaware
Democratic Party, just won a highly respected community
service award from the New Castle County Chamber of
Commerce.

He should live long enough to get a political service
award from his fellow Democrats.

The good Democratic Farley name is currently part of
a great disturbance in the political atmosphere here,
invisible except to the dumbfounded insiders, Democrats
and Republicans alike.

It seems there are Democratic print shops and
Republican print shops for campaign literature. While
the two sides have patronized a number of shops through
the years, the most prominent were Farley Printing for
the Democrats and Associates International for the
Republicans.

Farley Printing has been Farley's baby since the
1970s. Although he turned operations over to Joe Jr.,
his son, about 20 years ago, the Democrats still
associate it with Joe Sr.

At Associates International, the associate with the
best political connections is Charlie Copeland, a
Republican and du Pont family member who used to be the
state Senate minority leader and ran for lieutenant
governor in 2008.

Without warning, the two shops recently merged under
the Associates International name.

This is the start of an election year, and the
candidates need a printer they can count on. The classic
case, seared in the memory of both parties, was an open
race for state representative in Brandywine Hundred in
2004.

As Election Day approached, Republican Stacy Griggs
circulated a hard-hitting flier against Democrat Diana
McWilliams. The frantic Democrats went to Farley
Printing, which turned out a rebuttal piece within 24
hours. The Democrats won the seat.

Print shops have had it rough of late. Cheap offers
beckon from the Internet, and people make do with
desktop publishing. Consolidation is sort of inevitable,
even if it leads to a political alliance people never
saw coming.

Farley Sr. is as much a part of the political life in
this state as Jefferson-Jackson Day dinners. Not only
was he the Democratic chair in the late 1980s and early
1990s, he was a county councilman beforehand and
currently runs a lobbying firm called First State
Strategies.

He is quick with the quips that get him called upon
to be a master of ceremonies at various events and a
regular at the annual First State Gridiron Dinner &
Show. He has done good works -- "You have to do the best
for your fellow man, no sense whining" -- most notably
with the St. Patrick's Day Society charity, which earned
him the recognition from the county chamber.

No matter. The Farley name is off the print shop, and
the Democrats are just not going to Charlie Copeland.
Not to mention they are not going anyplace that is not
union-organized with the work it turns out displaying
the union bug. That is not Associates International.

They will take their business, which can run a robust
six figures in a campaign season, elsewhere.

"I have my file, and it has been transferred to a new
printing company," one Democratic official said.
"Without a doubt, Joe and family always knew what we
needed and were at the ready."

The Republicans get it, too. "Democrats can't use
anything that isn't the union bug. Charlie was a
Republican officeholder. He's part of our 'family,' and
you want to support your own and someone who supports
you," a Republican operative said.

Copeland insisted the Democrats really did not have
to leave. He protested, but not strenuously.

"The only difference between Associates and Farley
was the buildings. I've printed a lot of stuff for a lot
of people over the years. If the money they're spending
is green, I'd be happy to help them spend it," Copeland
said.

"Joe Jr. will make sure it's done right and out on
time and Copeland doesn't see it."

Thanks but no thanks. The Democrats have their own
ideas about the turn of events, and it goes something
like this.

Republicans are red/Democrats are blue/The union
bug has got to be there, too.